HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Draft Rumors: Ramsey, Alexander, Ravens, Steelers

April 1st, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Titans, who hold the top pick in this year’s draft, have scheduled a visit with Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey, writes Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. Most expect the Titans to take Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil first overall, but they’re nonetheless doing their homework on Ramsey. Should Ramsey get past the Titans, he’ll have a potential suitor in the Cowboys, who pick fourth and have already met with him, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com.

More draft news. . .

  • In addition to his previously reported visit with San Francisco, Clemson cornerback and prospective first-round pick Mackensie Alexander will meet with the NFC West rival Rams, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
  • Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones worked out for the Ravens on Friday, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Jones, who projects as a slot cornerback and a return specialist, is viewed as a third- to fourth-round pick. The Baltimore-area native has said that playing for the Ravens would be a “dream come true.” In total, the Ravens had about 40 to 50 players in for a workout, including Jones and two Maryland defenders – Sean Davis (DB) and Quinton Jefferson (DT) – Zrebiec tweets.
  • The Steelers hosted four prospects Friday – safeties Deon Bush (Miami) and Jeremy Cash (Duke), Georgia Tech cornerback David White, and LSU offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins – per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Hawkins is the second O-lineman the Steelers have met with over the last two days, joining Indiana’s Jason Spriggs (link via Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com).
  • The Buccaneers sent offensive line coach George Warhop to Cincinnati on Friday to work out tackle Justin Murray, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
  • The Vikings had an assistant spend time on Thursday after Washington’s pro day with linebacker Travis Feeney, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. Feeney had a strong showing at the combine but, unfortunately, had to undergo hernia surgery afterward.
  • Miami defensive lineman Ufomba Kamalu has picked up interest from the Chargers, Panthers, Eagles, Cardinals, and Broncos, according to Mike Kaye of First Coast News (via Twitter).
  • The Titans and Vikings met with Indiana defensive tackle Darius Latham on Friday, Pauline reports. Off-field issues, including two suspensions in college, could hurt Latham’s draft stock. If not, he might go as high as the third round.
  • UTEP defender Roy Robertson-Harris is drawing attention, having met with the 49ers and Panthers. He also has visits and/or workouts scheduled with the Raiders, Chiefs, Bears and Vikings.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

East Notes: Randle, Bills, Dolphins, Giants

April 1st, 2016 at 6:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Receiver Rueben Randle says he turned down longer deals than the modest one-year offer he accepted from the Eagles last week, according to Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. “There were [other teams interested],” the 24-year-old said. “I just felt like it was a better opportunity for me here to showcase my talents on a one-year deal, to go out and prove myself.” Along with Jordan Matthews, Randle is one of the Eagles’ two most accomplished wideouts. Not surprisingly, then, he expects to start. “I feel confident that I will be [a starter]. That’s for me to go out there and prove,” he said.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Bills receiver Marquise Goodwin seemingly tweeted Friday that he was done with the team and then insisted it’s not an April Fools’ joke, as Ron Clements of the Sporting News writes. The Bills haven’t released Goodwin. Instead, he plans to dedicate his time and training to the upcoming Olympics, per Clements. Goodwin, twice an NCAA long jump champion at Texas, was part of the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper for the U.S. team. Since the Bills chose Goodwin in the third round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in just 24 of 48 regular-season games and amassed 20 receptions and three touchdowns. Goodwin, 25, has one year and $675K left on his contract.
  • In other Bills news, team brass dined with six Ohio State prospects on Thursday, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Quarterback Cardale Jones, outside linebacker Darron Lee, cornerback Eli Apple, defensive end Adolphus Washington, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, and free safety Vonn Bell all met with a Buffalo contingent.
  • The Dolphins announced that cornerback Greg Toler‘s visit with the team has concluded, as Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald tweets. Presumably, there is no agreement between the two sides – at least, not yet.
  • Toler might not be the only free agent corner on the Dolphins’ radar, writes the Sun Sentinel’s Omar Kelly, who says the team hasn’t closed the door on signing either Leon Hall or Antonio Cromartie. Hall – a Bengal since his career started in 2007 – has a connection to new Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was Cincinnati’s defensive backs coach the previous two seasons. Cromartie’s first stint with the Jets began via trade back in 2010, when Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum was Gang Green’s general manager.
  • Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo admits that he’s “disappointed” he wasn’t elevated to head coach, as Ebenezer Samuel of the Daily News writes. “I’m not going to lie to you,” Spagnuolo said. “I was disappointed I wasn’t the guy . . . but I’m not giving up on my dream of being a head coach…But I like [Ben McAdoo] a lot. It was two-fold. It didn’t happen, so it was a disappointment. But it’s always nice to be wanted.”

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/1/16

April 1st, 2016 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a rundown of today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves:

  • The Chiefs have inked linebacker Andy Mulumba to a one-year pact, according to his agent (Twitter link via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Mulumba, who met with the Chiefs on Wednesday, previously drew interest from New England. He spent the first three years of his career in Green Bay, appeared in 22 regular-season contests and recorded three starts. Mulumba was delayed in signing anywhere because of citizenship issues, per Weston Hodkiewicz of USA Today. The native of the Democratic Republic of Congo is a Canadian citizen and has been working to attain U.S. citizenship and residency, but he had to return to Canada after his work visa expired. Mulumba met with the Chiefs and Patriots on a visitor visa. Now that he has found employment again, Mulumba can return to the U.S.
  • In addition to Mulumba, the Chiefs have signed safety Jimmy Wilson to a one-year deal, Pro Football Talk reports (Twitter link). Wilson, 29, appeared in 13 games with San Diego last season before the team released him in December. Since entering the league as a seventh-rounder in 2011, Wilson has played in 73 regular-season games, logged 28 starts, and amassed five interceptions.
  • The Titans have agreed to terms with linebacker Curtis Grant, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online (on Twitter). Grant was a member of Atlanta’s taxi squad towards the end of the year and also auditioned for Seattle in January.
  • The Eagles signed Ryan Mueller, according to Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). Mueller previously played linebacker in the NFL, but he’ll be a fullback for Philly. The 24-year-old out of Kansas State spent 2015 with San Diego. It’s a two-year deal, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
  • The Eagles have waived offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson, as McLane tweets.

Pigskin Links: Treadwell, Jets, Foster, Dolphins

April 1st, 2016 at 5:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Here at Pro Football Rumors, we deliver up-to-the-minute news on NFL transactions and high-quality original analysis. Each week, we also feature some of the best blog articles from around the web in our regular feature, Pigskin Links.

We’re looking for interesting reads on all things football from blogs of all sizes. While PFR is dedicated to player movement, Pigskin Links is open to pieces on all areas of the game. If you would like to suggest your blog post (or someone else’s) for Pigskin Links, send us an email with the link and a brief synopsis at PigskinLinks@gmail.com.

Here’s this week’s look around the football blogosphere:

Got a great football blog post that you want to see featured in next week’s Pigskin Links? Email it to Zach or tweet it to him: @ZachLinks.

Seahawks Sign Chris Clemons

April 1st, 2016 at 3:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks announced that they have signed defensive end Chris Clemons. The deal is a homecoming of sorts for the 34-year-old who spent 2010-2013 with Seattle. Chris Clemons DE (vertical)

[RELATED: Seahawks GM Discusses Offseason, Re-Signings, Keys to Success] 

Clemons will turn 35 in October and wasn’t productive in 2015, but overall he has a history of playing at a high level. His three sacks were his lowest total since he became a starter in 2010, and a major step down from the eight he recorded in his first year in Jacksonville. Pro Football Focus ranked Clemons dead last among 110 qualified edge defenders. In early March, the Jaguars parted ways with Clemons to clear his entire $4MM cap number for 2016 from their books. Jacksonville wasn’t on the hook for any dead money, so the move was something of a no-brainer for them.

Clemons recorded at least 11 sacks in his first three seasons with the Seahawks, but recovery from a torn ACL slowed him down in 2013, resulting in just 4.5 sacks and a -7.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, which placed him 42nd among 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Lions, Rams, Eagles, Draft

April 1st, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions GM Bob Quinn came into the offseason searching for offensive line help, but he didn’t spend big in that department in free agency. Ultimately, Quinn says that he didn’t think he could have gotten decent bang for his buck (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I didn’t see the value in the players that were getting signed to the contracts that they were getting from other teams, so I backed off,” Quinn said.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL…

  • The Rams are insisting they’re fine with Case Keenum as their quarterback, and the Eagles are looking hard at first-round QB prospects, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com isn’t sold on either stance, suggesting that Los Angeles ought to draft a signal-caller early and that Philadelphia doesn’t need to.
  • NFL decision-makers aren’t in love with the 2016 tight end class, and the lack of depth at the position may result in some TE prospects being drafted earlier than expected, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
  • How likely are teams to pick up fifth-year options for their 2013 first-round draftees? Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports examines all 32 players selected in the 2013 first round to determine whether their options are locks, non-starters, or somewhere in between.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates identifies several projected 2017 free agents who could put themselves in line for big contracts with strong 2016 performances, including Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin and Giants defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.

Jets Continue To Have Interest In Brian Hoyer

April 1st, 2016 at 11:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are eyeing quarterback Brian Hoyer closely and have expressed interest in acquiring him, league sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). That means that the Jets could look into trading for him or signing him as a free agent if Houston opts to release him. Brian Hoyer (Vertical)

Hoyer, 30, is set to enter the second year of a two-year deal and while he has a base salary of $4MM, none of it is guaranteed. Given that his gameday roster bonuses would also be cleared out, Hoyer’s release would save Houston nearly $5MM in cap space. Hoyer wasn’t awful last season, as he completed about 61% of his passes for 17 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. Still, Hoyer did finish 20th in Football Outsiders’ DYAR metric. The Texans have a new signal caller in Brock Osweiler and the Jets view Hoyer as a capable starter.

One way or another, the Texans and Hoyer are expected to part ways. Meanwhile, the Jets are holding firm in their negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick while the veteran quarterback is insisting on a much larger deal than Gang Green has been willing to give him. The Jets want to pay Fitzpatrick roughly $7MM/year – the typical cost of a high-end backup – while Fitzpatrick wants to be paid like one of the better starters in the league, which would put him at about $16MM/year.

Regardless of how things go with Hoyer and Fitzpatrick, the Jets want to bring in a young quarterback. Even though the Jets selected Baylor product Bryce Petty in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, they’re talking with prospects Christian Hackenberg and Paxton Lynch and, according to Cole, they could select a QB in the first three rounds of this month’s draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Wilkerson, Carter, Bills

April 1st, 2016 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Muhammad Wilkerson and his camp “are in full-fledged get-me-the-heck-out-of-here mode,” angling for a trade out of New York. As Mehta details, Wilkerson doesn’t dislike playing for the Jets, but he doesn’t believe the team is willing to pay him what he believes he’s worth, so he wants to join a club willing to pony up for a long-term deal.

As we wait to see whether Gang Green finds a trade it likes for Wilkerson, here are a few more items from out of the NFL’s East divisions…

  • After meeting with the Lions and Jets earlier this week, free agent linebacker Bruce Carter is visiting the Bills today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Buffalo doesn’t have a ton of cap flexibility, but it appears unlikely that Carter will require much more than a minimum salary deal.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPN.com provides the details on Erin Henderson‘s two-year contract with the Jets, writing that the linebacker will earn a guarantee of $750K, including a $365K roster bonus that was paid on Monday. The deal is worth $4MM overall and features a $250K option for 2017.
  • Before he decided to join the Patriots, Terrance Knighton had an offer on the table from Washington as well. However, Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link) hears that it was significantly lower than New England‘s offer. John Keim of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that Washington‘s offer was heavy on incentives.
  • Asked by Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com if he wants to return to the NFL as a head coach, former Washington coach Mike Shanahan said it would have to be the perfect situation, suggesting that it might be a better fit for him to be a consultant for a team.

Patriots Extend Patrick Chung Through 2018

April 1st, 2016 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have tacked on an extra year to safety Patrick Chung‘s contract, giving him a raise for 2016 in the process, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Yates reports that Chung is now under contract in New England through the 2018 season, with the one-year extension adding $5.7MM in new money to his deal.Patrick Chung

As Yates and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald explain, the new money in Chung’s deal breaks down as follows:

  • Signing bonus of $2.4MM.
  • 2017 base salary increased by $700K ($1.8MM to $2.5MM).
  • 2017 per-game roster bonuses increased by $200K ($200K to $400K).
  • 2018 base salary of $2MM.
  • 2018 per-game roster bonuses of $400K.

Despite the fact that Chung is getting a raise for 2016, his cap number will actually decrease by $100K, since the Patriots eliminated $900K in likely-to-be-earned incentives from his deal for the coming season. However, the veteran defensive back will have the opportunity to earn up to $1.5MM in total incentives later in the contract now — there’s a $900K not-likely-to-be-earned incentive for 2017, and $600K in NLTBE incentives for 2018.

While the math on Chung’s new extension is a little convoluted, the upshot is that the Pats are pleased with the 28-year-old’s performance and chose to reward him for it. Since returning to New England for the 2014 season, the former second-round pick has started 29 regular-season games and another five playoff contests for the club, teaming with Devin McCourty to form a reliable duo at safety.

In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked Chung as the fifth-best safety in the NFL, two spots ahead of McCourty.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bengals Sign Karlos Dansby

April 1st, 2016 at 8:14am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 8:14am: Dansby’s one-year contract has a base value of $2MM, with another $250K available in incentives, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The deal also features a $700K signing bonus.

WEDNESDAY, 9:40am: The Bengals have made the signing of Dansby official, announcing the move today (via Twitter).

TUESDAY, 9:55am: Having been released earlier this month by the Browns, veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby has found a new home, but he won’t be going far — his new team plays in the same state and the same division as his old team.Karlos Dansby

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Dansby is set to sign a contract with the Bengals. Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com had reported earlier this morning (via Twitter) that talks between Dansby and the Bengals were heating up.

Dansby, a former second-round pick, racked up 109 tackles, forced three fumbles, and intercepted three passes, including two for touchdowns, during the 2015 season. Pro Football Focus ranked him 25th out of 97 qualified non-rush linebackers. However, having decided to go younger on defense, the Browns opted to cut the 34-year-old with two seasons left on his four-year contract.

At the time of his release, Dansby told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he wouldn’t mind joining a Super Bowl contender like the Bengals, Packers, or Cardinals. “Yeah, I think the Bengals are licking their chops right now,” the linebacker said. “I hope they are. We’ll see what it is.”

The Bengals have some depth at linebacker, with Rey Maualuga, Vontaze Burfict, Vincent Rey, and A.J. Hawk among the available options for the three starting jobs. Still, the team did lose Emmanuel Lamur in free agency, and Burfict will serve a suspension to start the 2016 season, so adding a player like Dansby certainly won’t hurt.

Because Dansby was released by the Browns, he won’t count toward the compensatory pick formula for 2017’s draft. Cincinnati has lost several noteworthy free agents this year, including Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, and Andre Smith, so the club should be in line for a few extra draft picks next year.

Dansby is also said to have received some interest from the Seahawks, though his only reported visit was to Cincinnati.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Load More Posts